Notice2025-02649
TBL Group, Inc.-Acquisition of Control-Reston Limousine & Travel Service, Inc.
Primary source
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Published
February 14, 2025
Effective
April 1, 2025
Issuing agencies
Surface Transportation Board
Abstract
TBL Group, Inc. (TBL Group), a holding company that owns multiple interstate motor passenger carriers, has filed an application for Board approval of its acquisition of an additional federally regulated motor passenger carrier, Reston Limousine & Travel Service, Inc. (Reston). The Board is tentatively approving and authorizing the transaction. If no opposing comments are timely filed, this notice will be the final Board action.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 30 (Friday, February 14, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 30 (Friday, February 14, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9652-9654]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-02649]
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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD
[Docket No. MCF 21126]
TBL Group, Inc.--Acquisition of Control--Reston Limousine &
Travel Service, Inc.
AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.
ACTION: Notice tentatively approving and authorizing finance
transaction.
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SUMMARY: TBL Group, Inc. (TBL Group), a holding company that owns
multiple interstate motor passenger carriers, has filed an application
for Board approval
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of its acquisition of an additional federally regulated motor passenger
carrier, Reston Limousine & Travel Service, Inc. (Reston). The Board is
tentatively approving and authorizing the transaction. If no opposing
comments are timely filed, this notice will be the final Board action.
DATES: Comments must be filed by March 31, 2025. If any comments are
filed, TBL Group may file a reply by April 15, 2025. If no opposing
comments are filed by March 31, 2025, this notice shall be effective on
April 1, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Comments, referring to Docket No. MCF 21126, may be filed
with the Board either via e-filing on the Board's website or in writing
addressed to: Surface Transportation Board, 395 E Street SW,
Washington, DC 20423-0001. In addition, send one copy of comments to
TBL Group's representative: Andrew K. Light, Scopelitis, Garvin, Light,
Hanson & Feary, P.C., 10 W Market Street, Suite 1400, Indianapolis, IN
46204.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nathaniel Bawcombe at (202) 245-0376.
If you require an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities
Act, please call (202) 245-0245.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On November 25, 2024, TBL Group filed an
application under 49 U.S.C. 14303 and 49 CFR part 1182, for Board
approval of its acquisition of Reston, a federally registered motor
passenger carrier. (Appl. 1, 4.) On January 15, 2025, TBL Group filed a
supplement to its application, clarifying certain information as
requested by the Board.\1\
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\1\ In Docket No. MCF 21122, TBL Group had sought Board
authority to acquire JKS Limousines, LLC (JKS), which, according to
prior TBL Group filings, appeared to do business as Windy City
Limousine Company, LLC. In a decision served December 20, 2024 in
this docket, TBL Group was directed to clarify a possible
inconsistency between its voluntary dismissal of its application in
Docket No. MCF 21122 and subsequent news reports indicating that TBL
Group had indeed acquired Windy City Limousine Company, LLC. In its
January 15, 2025 supplement, TBL Group explained that it had
determined that the assets it had sought to acquire in Docket No.
MCF 21122 were not owned by JKS but by other entities, Windy City
Limousine Company, LLC, and Windy City Limousine Manager LLC
(together, Windy City Limousine). (Suppl. at 2-3.) TBL Group further
explained that it acquired such assets (which are now operated by
TBL Group's subsidiary Echo Windy) from Windy City Limousine in
September 2024 without Board approval, because at that time Windy
City Limousine provided only intrastate service and did not possess
interstate passenger motor carrier operating authority. (Id. at 4-
5.)
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According to the application, TBL Group is a Texas corporation,
headquartered at 15734 Aldine Westfield Road, Houston, TX 77032. (Id.
at 1.) TBL Group asserts it is not a federally regulated carrier. (Id.
at 2.) The application further states that TBL Group controls three
interstate passenger motor carriers: GBJ Inc. (GBJ), Echo East Coast
Transportation LLC (Echo East Coast), and Echo Tours & Charters, LP.
(Echo Tours). (Id. at 2-3, Exs. A, B.) TBL Group states that GBJ is a
Texas corporation doing business as Echo AFC Transportation and
primarily provides charter and shuttle services for companies, non-
profits, schools, and tour operators in Houston, Tex., but also
provides interstate charter passenger transportation service. (Id. at
2.) Echo East Coast is described in the application as a Texas limited
liability company primarily providing interstate and intrastate charter
services in the area of Jacksonville, Fla. (Id. at 3.) Echo Tours is
described by TBL Group as a Texas limited partnership doing business as
Echo Transportation, that primarily provides charter and shuttle
services for companies, non-profits, schools, and tour operators in the
metropolitan area of Dallas, Tex., but also provides interstate charter
passenger transportation. (Id.) TBL Group also asserts in its
supplement that it owns one intrastate carrier, Echo Windy City, LLC
(Echo Windy),\2\ which does business as Echo Windy City Transportation
and provides intrastate charter services in Illinois, primarily in the
metropolitan area of Chicago. (Suppl. at 2-3.) The application states
that, except for GBJ, Echo East Coast, Echo Tours, and Reston, there
are no other affiliated interstate carriers involved in the
application. (Appl. at 5; Suppl. at 2-4.)
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\2\ In its January 15 supplement, TBL Group states that Echo
Windy recently obtained interstate passenger motor carrier authority
from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) but
then filed with FMCSA to voluntarily revoke that authority upon
being advised that Echo Windy's becoming an interstate carrier under
TBL Group's control also would require Board approval pursuant to 49
U.S.C. 14303. (Suppl. at 3.) TBL Group states that Echo Windy was
evaluating whether interstate authority would be desirable, and
that, if found so, TBL Group would seek appropriate authority from
the Board. (Id.) Shortly thereafter, on January 21, 2025, TBL Group
did in fact file, in Docket No. MCF 21129, an application to control
Echo Windy as an interstate carrier, which the Board will address in
a separate decision in that docket.
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TBL Group describes Reston as a Virginia corporation that operates
as a motor carrier of passengers primarily providing shuttle services
under contracts for companies, government agencies, schools/
universities, and other organizations. (Appl. at 3.) The application
states that Reston also provides general charter services for
companies, embassies, government agencies, retail customers, schools/
universities, and other organizations for activities such as tours, to/
from airport, weddings, athletics, and other group transportation
activities. (Id. at 3-4.) Reston's primary service area is described as
the Washington, DC, metropolitan area, including the federal district
and the states of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. (Id. at 4.)
TBL Group asserts that Reston operates under passenger carrier
authority issued by the Maryland Public Service Commission and the
passenger carrier authority issued by the Virginia Department of Motor
Vehicles, and authority to operate in the Washington, DC, metropolitan
area issued by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Commission.
(Id.) TBL Group states that Reston utilizes approximately 12 motor
coaches with a seating capacity of up to 54 passengers, 1 school bus
with a seating capacity of 16 or more passengers, 112 mini-buses with a
seating capacity of 20 to 30 passengers, 3 vans with a seating capacity
of 1 to 8 passengers, 35 vans with a seating capacity of 9 to 15
passengers, 1 limousine with a seating capacity of 9 to 15 passengers,
12 sedans, and 8 SUVs. (Id.) The application explains that TBL Group
contemplates the completion of a transaction (the Contemplated
Transaction) whereby TBL Group will acquire all the issued and
outstanding equity stock interest of Reston, and Reston will be
acquired, owned, and controlled by TBL Group. (Id. at 4, 5.)
Under 49 U.S.C. 14303(b), the Board must approve and authorize a
transaction that it finds consistent with the public interest, taking
into consideration at least (1) the effect of the proposed transaction
on the adequacy of transportation to the public, (2) the total fixed
charges resulting from the proposed transaction, and (3) the interest
of affected carrier employees. Applicants have submitted the
information required by 49 CFR 1182.2, including information
demonstrating that the proposed transaction is consistent with the
public interest under 49 U.S.C. 14303(b), see 49 CFR 1182.2(a)(7), and
a jurisdictional statement under 49 U.S.C. 14303(g) that the aggregate
gross operating revenues of the involved carriers exceeded $2 million
during the 12-month period immediately preceding the filing of the
application, see 49 CFR 1182.2(a)(5).
TBL Group asserts that granting the application is not expected to
have a material, detrimental impact on the adequacy of transportation
services available for the public in the Reston service area. (Appl.
7.) TBL Group anticipates that services available to the public will be
improved as operating
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efficiencies are realized and additional services and capacity are made
available. (Id.) TBL Group further states that for the foreseeable
future, the services currently provided by Reston will continue to be
provided by Reston under the same name used to provide such services
prior to the Contemplated Transaction. (Id.) TBL Group states in its
application that the addition of Reston to its holdings is consistent
with the practices within the passenger motor carrier industry of
strong, well-managed transportation organizations adapting their
corporate structure to operate several different passenger carriers
within similar service markets, but in different geographic areas.
(Id.) TBL Group states that its experience in the same market segments
served by Reston, shuttle and charter transportation services, is
expected to result in improved operating efficiencies, increased
equipment utilization rates, and cost savings derived from economies of
scale within the TBL Group's affiliates and will help to ensure the
provision of adequate service to the public. (Id.) TBL Group also
asserts the addition of Reston will enhance the viability of TBL Group
and TBL Group's affiliates, which will assure the continued
availability of adequate passenger transportation service for the
public in the areas served by TBL Group's affiliates. (Id. at 8.)
TBL Group states that the Contemplated Transaction would increase
fixed charges, in the form of interest expense, because funds will be
borrowed to assist in the financing of the Contemplated Transaction.
(Id.) TBL Group asserts that the increase will not impact the provision
of transportation services to the public. (Id.) TBL Group further
asserts that it is the current intention of TBL Group to continue the
existing operations of Reston and as such, the Contemplated Transaction
is not expected to have substantial impacts on employees or labor
conditions. (Id.) TBL Group does not expect or contemplate a measurable
reduction in force or changes in compensation levels and/or benefits,
although staffing redundancies could potentially result in limited
downsizing of back-office and/or managerial level personnel. (Id.)
Based on TBL Groups' representations, the Board finds that the
acquisition as proposed in the application is consistent with the
public interest. The application will be tentatively approved and
authorized. If any opposing comments are timely filed, these findings
will be deemed vacated, and, unless a final decision can be made on the
record as developed, a procedural schedule will be adopted to
reconsider the application. See 49 CFR 1182.6. If no opposing comments
are filed by the expiration of the comment period, this notice will
take effect automatically and will be the final Board action in this
proceeding.
This action is categorically excluded from environmental review
under 49 CFR 1105.6(c).
Board decisions and notices are available at <a href="http://www.stb.gov">www.stb.gov</a>.
It is ordered:
1. The proposed transaction is approved and authorized, subject to
the filing of opposing comments.
2. If opposing comments are timely filed, the findings made in this
notice will be deemed vacated.
3. This notice will be effective on April 1, 2025, unless opposing
comments are filed by March 31, 2025. If any comments are filed, TBL
Group may file a reply by April 15, 2025.
4. A copy of this notice will be served on: (1) the U.S. Department
of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 1200
New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590; (2) the U.S. Department of
Justice, Antitrust Division, 10th Street & Pennsylvania Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20530; and (3) the U.S. Department of Transportation,
Office of the General Counsel, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington,
DC 20590.
Decided: February 11, 2025.
By the Board, Board Members Fuchs, Hedlund, Primus, and Schultz.
Brendetta Jones,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2025-02649 Filed 2-13-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on February 14, 2025.
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